General Court Martial warns against delaying tactics

Oct 22, 2015

The General Court Martial has warned a lawyer representing fourteen people, accused of attacking Kabamba Military Barracks in Mubende district that it would not tolerate strategies aimed at delaying the expeditious trial of the case.

By Michael Odeng

The General Court Martial has warned a lawyer representing fourteen people, accused of attacking Kabamba Military Barracks in Mubende district that it would not tolerate strategies aimed at delaying the expeditious trial of the case.

The General Court Martial chairman, Maj. Gen Levi Karuhanga gave the warning on Wednesday after Jude Mbabaali failed to turn up in court again.

 “I am giving a final warning. If the lawyer does not appear in court again, then the accused will look for another advocate to represent them,” he warned.

This prompted Karuhanga, who appeared to be frustrated at the pace of the court proceedings to advise the accused persons to get a new lawyer.

 “The public are not seeking adjournments but it is the lawyer delaying justice and the accused persons are suffering,” he said.

The accused persons were charged with two offences related to security and aiding the commissioning of the offence contrary to the UPDF Act.

The court chairman sent back the accused persons to Luzira Prison and Makindye military police headquarters respectively until November 10, when they will re-appear in court for the hearing of their case.

The accused include Lt. Phillip Frank Eguma, Pt. Kenneth Ssekajja, Capt. Halman Ba, Lt. Ronald Mwavu, Sgt. Nduga Musaazi, Nasim Namuzimuule and Marvin Ssemwogerere Kato.

Others are John Lumala Salongo, Patrick Kibuuka, Solomon Matovu, Peter Kibirige, Herbert Biyimbwa, Ali Mukiibi and Francis Kiwanuka.

The accused include five UPDF soldiers and nine civilians including one woman.

According to court documents, the accused in various districts in Uganda and Nairobi in Kenya consciously omitted to disclose vital information to the army authorities about the recruitment of people to engage into activities to prejudice the security of UPDF and preparations to attack Armoured Warfare Training School (AWTS) in Mubende district.

Prosecution led by Major Fredrick Kangwamu alleges that the accused committed the offences between September 2013 and May 2014.

Prosecution further alleges that during the same period the suspects aided Lt. Col. Phillip Frank Eguma, and Lt. Ronald Waibi Mwavu, to prejudice the security of AWTS in Mubende district.

 
 

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